1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer-based patient recording system which can save various medical diagnosis data obtained at the time of medical consultation or examination by means of itemized text input of such data.
2. Related Art
A computer-based patient recording system has been provided which can input medical diagnosis data, such as subjective data (e.g., clinical history told by patients), objective data (e.g., observations by medical doctors) and medical data (e.g., disease names determined by medical doctors, medical treatment and prescription performed by medical doctors) and save the same in a medical diagnosis data file in a storage medium (e.g., a hard disk).
Among of all the medical diagnosis data, the data of the performance of medical doctors (e.g., treatment, prescription) are easy to input in a predetermined sequence on predetermined items. Such data are also used for the calculation of treatment fee with health insurance coverage. Therefore, a code input method which is easy to input and suitable to the secondary use of the data has been adopted.
On the other hand, clinical history, observations, etc. are difficult to input as such data are diversely classified and the classification boundaries are not always clear. Also, such data are obtained based on the data provided by patients at random through the interactive medical interview with patients. For this reason, it may be difficult to quickly classify such data into the respective items as specified. In other words, as patients do not always orderly tell and occasionally they may tell out of sequence, such data are more difficult to input in a predetermined order. Under the circumstances, for inputting the data of clinical history, observations, etc., a text input method has been adopted.
The text input method is divided into two methods: plain-text input method which allows free text input like handwriting on white paper, and itemized input method which allows input according to pre-classified items.
When the plain-text input method is used, various data, such as data provided by patients and determinations made by medical doctors, can be quickly input as they are in order of receiving without switching the input screen, input window, or input area. However, due to a serious defect that the secondary use of data is difficult, this method has not yet been adopted.
On the other hand, when the itemized input method is used, data can be input according to the item stratification. This method has been widely adopted by computer-based patient recording systems.
Here, the conventional itemized input method will be described referring to FIG. 2. A medical doctor listens to a patient. When the medical doctor determines that the patient tells about his/her xe2x80x9cfamily history,xe2x80x9d the medical doctor moves a pointer to the family history button of all input item buttons displayed in the input data display window (or screen) as shown on the left side of FIG. 2, and presses the family history button. Then, an input window (or screen) for the family history item as shown on the right side of FIG. 2 appears. The input window (or screen) of each item has input assisting tools which enable efficient inputting work. The medical doctor input the text by using these input assisting tools. When the input is completed and the OK button is pressed, the input data display window (or screen) as shown on the left side of FIG. 2 reappears. In the input data display window (or screen), the text input in the family history input window (or screen) as shown on the right side of FIG. 2 is displayed in the itemized input data display area of the family history item.
The medical doctor continuously listens to the patient, and in the same way as above, presses an intended input item button, inputs a text in the same way as above, and has the input data display window (or screen) reappear as shown in the left side of FIG. 2. Subsequently, the medical doctor continues inputting work by repeating such input operation as described above.
As seen above, when the itemized input method is used, as it is necessary to switch the input window, the operation is too troublesome for medical doctors to easily perform the inputting work while listening to patients, which poses a problem.
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a computer-based patient recording system which enables medical doctors to easily input data like using the plain-text input method while listening to their patients and easily make the secondary use of the input data like using the itemized input method.
To achieve this objective, the computer-based patient recording system according to the present invention is constructed, for example, as described below:
The computer-based patient recording system comprises a text inputting means for inputting a text and breakpoints thereof, a unit-text saving means for saving the input text divided into unit-texts in respective identifiable memory areas, a unit-text selecting means for inputting the selection of a unit text, a display-instruction inputting means for inputting an instruction of displaying an item select window, an item selecting means for inputting the selection of any item from among the items displayed in the item select window, and a memory-area-item relating means for relating the memory area in which the unit text selected by the unit-text selecting means is saved to the item selected by the item selecting means.
According to the above configuration, each input unit text is saved into each identifiable memory area by a simple operation of breaking the text. Also, when the desired unit text is selected and the item which is determined by the medical doctor to be applicable to such unit text is selected, the memory area for such unit text is related to such item.
The computer-based patient recording system according to the present invention may also be configured as described below:
The computer-based patient recording system comprises a text inputting means for inputting a text and breakpoints thereof, a unit-text extracting means for extracting the text from the previous breakpoint to the current breakpoint as a unit text, a display control means for displaying the item select window when the text breakpoint is input, an item selecting means for inputting the selection of any item from among the items displayed in the item select window, and a memory-area-item relating means for relating the unit text extracted by the unit-text extracting means to the item selected by the item selecting means.
According to the above configuration, each unit text is extracted by a simple operation of breaking a text, and at the same time, the item select window is displayed. Also, the extracted unit text is saved by being related to the item which is determined applicable by the medical doctor.